1st August 1987
Kat Trap
Back in June of 1986, Zzap!'s sister magazine Crash ran a 'design a game' competition. The lucky winner was Jonathan Eggleton, and his ideas were transferred from paper to the Spectrum by the Design Design programming team. The resulting game, Kat Trap, has now been converted to the Commodore 64.
The action takes place on 24th century Earth, abandoned by humans and recolonised by strange Kat Men. Trouble begins when the humans decide to return and the Kat Men refuse to leave the planet - the humans then have to evict them forcibly.
Two war droids, MT-ED and Hercules 1, are sent down to do the dirty work, but as soon as they land Hercules is captured and MT-ED is left to fend for himself. As controller of MT-ED, the responsibility of the job has therefore fallen into your hands...
There are fourteen flick-screen levels to complete, each inhibited by a different type of alien creature. These creatures are fatal to the touch, but are destroyed by MT-ED's laser. Opponents become immune to this on later levels, and MT-ED has to find and utilise the other weapons which are scattered about. These include rockets, grenades and water cannons, and are automatically added to MT-ED's armoury when touched.
The 14th level contains the Kat Men's Nerve Centre, where Hercules 1 is being held captive. Rescuing him leads to a sub-game where the Kat Men's Central Computer is outwitted and shut down, and the Kat Men are forced to leave the Earth forever.
JR
Even though Kat Trap is incredibly frustrating, it's still pretty enjoyable to play. The scenario is pretty weird and getting to grips with the gameplay is quite tricky, but the action is rewarding and entertaining throughout.
The graphics and sound are nothing special, but they relate to the action adequately. The biggest setback is that the game is a little too easy to solve, and therefore its lasting appeal is questionable.
For this reason alone, it can't be called a particularly good buy.
SJ
The visual problems inherent in Kat Trap are neatly complemented by the gameplay, which is similarly bland and uncaptivating. Roaming about a landscape shooting aliens isn't exactly the apex of C64 gaming these days, no matter how unusual or original the scenario might be.
Kat Trap looks and plays like a budget game but comes with a hefty price tag, so I would think twice before considering it as my next purchase - if at all.
PS
One word sums up this Streetwise game - frustrating! The gameplay is very simple in construction, but the slightest error can have disastrous consequences.
The graphics are most disappointing - there's plenty of colour, but the sprites are difficult to distinguish. Kat Trap is a very simple concept which has been adequately implemented, but overall I don't think that there's enough in it to justify the ten pound price tag.
Verdict
Presentation 79%
Not outstanding, but user-friendly throughout.
Graphics 60%
Generally colourful, though the sprites are occasionally indistinct.
Sound 62%
A reasonable soundtrack and pleasant spot effects.
Hookability 56%
The strange scenario and weird controls are slightly off-putting...
Lastability 40%
...but once the control method is mastered it doesn't take long to complete the mission.
Overall 55%
An averagely original and enjoyable game which lacks lasting appeal.
Screenshots
